So after beaucoup research and preparation I sprayed on my first layer of primer (motorcycle tank) yesterday. New gun, new equipment, new paint, and not enough experience resulted in orange peel and blotches. (I guess if I were texturing drywall, she'd be marvelous )

I was spraying High Build 2K primer. The directions on the spec sheet said like 10psi was recommended. The more I read here, I'm thinking I will likely need to crank up the psi and do a bunch of testing with this gun - messing with pattern, volume, and psi, and get it right before hitting the real deal.

Question (1) is - I sprayed on 3 coats (I was committed, had to finish). So I assume I can sand this back down with 220 until it's smooth again, redo the high build primer, and then proceed as normal after that (let dry, sand, coat with primer sealer, base and clear). Will this be adequate, or do I need to take it down to metal again (oh and FWIW, I can see some filler work I'll need to spend more time on too)

The high build primer I have states when properly reduced it can also be used as a primer sealer - so question (2) when I'm ready to shoot the primer sealer can I let if flash and then proceed to the base, and then the clear? (that is what 'wet-on-wet' implies correct?) Or do I need to let the sealer coat dry, sand with 400 and then do base and clear. I'm not getting a clear answer from the paint spec sheets.

heres the problem with HVLPs. Newbies see the 10psi and think that is what you set the regulator at the gun at. That is CAP pressure, which shouldn't even be mentioned! Unless you have an expensive guage(only available for some guns) you will never actually know whether it is 10 psi. Set the regulator for the pressure that is recommended. It is either on the gun or on the instructions/packaging with the gun. It will be somewhere around 30 psi at the gun. Some cheap Harbor Freight guns will say 45-50 psi.

heres the problem with HVLPs. Newbies see the 10psi and think that is what you set the regulator at the gun at. That is CAP pressure, which shouldn't even be mentioned! Unless you have an expensive guage(only available for some guns) you will never actually know whether it is 10 psi. Set the regulator for the pressure that is recommended. It is either on the gun or on the instructions/packaging with the gun. It will be somewhere around 30 psi at the gun. Some cheap Harbor Freight guns will say 45-50 psi.

OK - thanks. I was at like 10-20psi at the gauge on the gun, so I'm sure that's the problem. I'll crank it up, and do some testing...

Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the Hot Rod Forum : Hotrodders Bulletin Board forums, you must first register.
Please enter your desired user name (usually not your first and last name), your email address and other required details in the form below.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.

Password:

Confirm Password:

Email Address

Please enter a valid email address for yourself.

Email Address:

Log-in

User Name

Remember Me?

Password

Human Verification

In order to verify that you are a human and not a spam bot, please enter the answer into the following box below based on the instructions contained in the graphic.